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AEPHIX - SOUTHWEST BAY - LATE MORNING
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Gareth sits on a large rock at the edge of the water, staring out at the ocean. The collar of his coat flaps slightly in the gentle breeze wafting in from the cool waters further away from the shoreline, the smell of salt water heavy in the air. As he sits there, he draws in a deep breath, then slowly breathes out, just quietly enjoying the various smells of the ocean.
Fiora approaches from behind Gareth, not really sneaking or trying to hide at all. She's in her armor, having been out here recently and tussled with the wildlife, helmet held under her arm. She walks up slowly, circling around the rock to sit down alongside Gareth. "Got your note. Ya feeling nostalgic or something?"
Gareth looks around when he hears the tell-tale clanking of Fiora's armor approaching close by. He treats her to a slight smile and shrugs. "Nah... not really, lass. Just... been missin' the salt air as of late, ye know? I figured this spot would be calm enough to just enjoy things fer a bit."
Fiora nods, "Well, sure, other then the shipwreck and the wildlife trying to get a free snack. I punched a coyote out here, you know. Heh. Good times..." She looks out over the water, the rising sunlight starting to reflect across it. "Still... you can handle all that. Pretty nice out here."
Gareth chuckles a bit as he looks around at the flotsam from Tarbin's old ship that's been washed ashore. "Honestly... wild animals, shipwrecks... not much different than what me old crew and I used to find on deserted islands. If it wasn't for the mountains off in the distance, I'd almost expect to hear one of me mates yellin' about being pinched by a crab or somethin'."
Fiora tilts her head. "I mean, I can probably yell something if you need me to." She chuckles, but it dies off soon enough. "You really are feeling nostalgic, eh? Don't know if I've ever heard you talk like this."
Gareth grunts as he leans back a little on the rock. He pats at the surface with a hand, inviting Fiora to take a seat if she wants. "Egh... maybe. Guess spendin' the past month on shore and away from the ocean's made me miss it all a bit more than usual. Plus, all the free time outside of beatin' up guards in the trainin' grounds means more time fer me to think."
Fiora smirks, stepping forward to take up Gareth's invitation. She hops up on the rock and shifts to make herself comfortable. "Heh, that last part is pretty fun..." She frowns, thinking about Brunilda. "...not gone myself in the past few days. Been... catching up with Erika, now that we've gotten that... figured out? It's better, at least. But now you're making me feel bad because it probably means you were right... this might end up becoming more then just another stop for me."
Gareth throws Fiora a bit of a grin. "Heh, why feel bad, lass? Ye get to see yer sister more often, this way, and it means ye've got a place to recuperate at if needed. As fer me... much as I complain about the desert, the rest of Aephix is kind o' nice. Wouldn't mind comin' back more often, at least."
Fiora grins back. "Heh, yeah... still, feels like the end of an era... Change sucks... but there it is, I guess. I can't run from it anymore." She turns to watch the ocean, her voice carries a hint of sadness, "You... heading back out then? For now?"
Gareth blinks and casts a glance at Fiora. "Me? How long're you plannin' to stay here in Aephix?" He pauses, raising an eyebrow, "Or are ye serious about hangin' up yer axe, like ye said ye were worried about doin' earlier?"
Fiora pffts, "Hell no! But... I mean, I can't be running around like we used to I guess. I gotta figure out what the hell I'm doing in Respite, where do I even fit in with my sister and her family? Do I even fit in at all?" She glances at Gareth, "You just sound like you're ready to head back out to sea anytime now. And I don't know if I can do that yet."
Gareth laughs. "The sea's always goin' to be there, lass. Pretty sure I told ye as much the last time ye were ridin' a ship by railin', when ye wished the sea would just dry up." He sighs again and looks back out towards the ocean, "But... much as the sea calls fer me, I just get this sense that stickin' around where ye are's goin' to be better."
Fiora frowns, "Not my fault the sea is a see-sawing asshole." She shakes her head, but grins, "Well, you find us a job, and you'll have my axe. I wouldn't want you rushing out all half-cocked flailng your pistols around."
Gareth scoffs, though he smiles a bit. "Much like I'd rather ye not charge face-first into things just because ye've got a giant axe and armor." He shakes his head, "Nah, I think I'll be fine stayin' here on Aephix fer however long ye want to stick around before divin' back into our trade."
Fiora punches Gareth in the arm just lightly enough not to actually do any harm, but hard enough to feel it. "Cool. I mean, not that I'd miss you or anything if you left. But, you know... it'd be a disservice to bounty heads everywhere if Fury and Wrath never menaced the criminal underbelly again."
Gareth rocks to the side at the punch, and he brings a hand up to rub at the spot a moment later. He chuckles. "Exactly, lass. People might start thinkin' we're goin' soft if we don't show up together to bring in whoever we're targetin'. We can't have that happen." He lowers his hand again and resumes gazing out at the ocean, "Besides, things'd be pretty quiet if it was just me out there."
Fiora shakes her head, "Nope, we absolutely cannot!" She leans back and hums. "Do you miss being a pirate still, Gareth? I mean, for all the crap you talk about your old crew, I'd have guessed you didn't care at all... but that's probably no different then the crap we give each other... right?"
Gareth hums quietly. "Ye'd be right about that. Fer all the insults I pile on me old crew, they were still me crew. A better team o' swabbies I couldn't ask fer, honestly." He shrugs, "As fer bein' a pirate... there's not much I don't miss, I s'pose. Adventure, riches, companions... it's a very enticin' lifestyle, lass."
Fiora chuckles, "Guess I can see it. Not sure if me and the pirate life would've ever worked out though. You know how I get about injustices and stuff." She frowns. "Did I ever tell you about my first bounty?"
Gareth hums thoughtfully, then shakes his head. "Not that I can remember. If ye could refresh me memory, I'd appreciate it."
Fiora leans forward, "Eh. I wasn't Fury then. I was just Fiora. Guard of Westport. Hah." She shakes her head. "So, this two-bit asshole set-up some extortion scheme on the docks, you know the part, down near oldtown. I'm just a rookie, and they've got me partnered up with this old horse who's showing me the ropes. We head on down to the docks, and duck into this little plaza, and I watch him take a bribe from this asshole. And I start askin' questions."
Gareth nods as he recalls the area of Westport Fiora's speaking about. "Mmh, that area's always been a bit seedy. So, ye were accompanying the horse on a sting or somethin'? I hope ye at least waited until afterwards to start askin' questions..."
Fiora spits. "Oh, yeah, I started poking around off duty. One thing lead to another, and a few nights later, I uh, found myself back down at the docks, slipping back into that plaza. I made some shit up about being sent down to discuss his 'generous donations' to the Westport Guard, and suddenly I'm in a room with this kingpin extortion racketeer and his four thugs, and he's explaining to me 'how this works'. Guess he'd had to talk down a few greedy guard recruits who thought they could get an extra slice of his pie. I didn't want his damn pie, though. I settled for busting his face up real good."
Fiora chuckles, "Pretty sure he broke into tears. Asshole probably deserved worse then I gave him. His guards didn't fair much better. Just thugs, nothing well trained, like those Cracked Fang guys we fought that one time, heh, they were good."
Fiora shrugs, "I dragged his busted up face on his ass through town. I think when people figured out what happened, they got real excited, but when I reached the local jail, the Guard on duty recognized him. Said we couldn't arrest him, he was 'upstanding', and a 'citizen in high standing.' Bunch of the townsfolk he'd been extorting were eager to see his ass fry though."
Fiora: "I refused to hand him over to the guard, and one of the folks let me know he had a bounty on his head. Not with the guard, but with a gambling house. Seems he'd been playing dirty in some gambling houses in Rockel. Made some bad bets, cheated a bit too often. You know how those gambling houses get when you screw them over."
Fiora grins, "Netted me a nice bit of starting cash and I'd like to think he got what was coming to him. I headed for home that night, quit the guard, and started working on my armor... the rest is history."
Gareth listens to Fiora telling her story, and chuckles as it wraps up. "Well, I'll be damned if that wasn't a great start to yer career as a bounty hunter. Sounds like things just set up perfectly to nudge ye in the direction ye needed to go, and ye took it." He smiles, "So, that's why ye ended up being one o' the righteous sort of mercenaries, eh?"
Fiora nods, "Yeah... you've seen me on that sort of rant plenty though."
Gareth nods in turn. "That I have. Funny thing is... as a bounty hunter, ye've got a code of honor o' sorts. Ye never take the 'low road', even if it's the easier way."
Fiora chuckles, "Oh, the easier way is never the fun way in my opinion." She sighs, "Guess Mom taught me that. If you do things the easy way, what do you learn? Nothing." She closes her eyes and mutters a soft explitive under her breath.
Gareth chuckles quietly. "Well, believe it or not, me crew was the same way. Yeah, we were pirates, and we stole from innocent folk, and we also killed and maimed and all that other stuff people say about us... but we had a code of honor, all the same."
Fiora raises an eyebrow. "That... doesn't sound like a code of honor to me, Gareth."
Gareth shakes his head. "Because I've not said what the code of honor was yet, lass." He tosses a slight smile at Fiora, "I know patience isn't yer strong suit, but give it a moment."
Fiora snorts at the barb, but crosses her arms and waits.
Gareth lightly nudges Fiora's arm, then continues. "We only attacked folks that could handle the loss. Merchants, mostly, and sometimes fellow pirates." He pauses, "Especially fellow pirates that were too stupid to not leave us be, or thought they could try and undercut or backstab us. Those that we fought also went down with dignity, no matter what."
Fiora hmphs, but slowly nods, "Ahh, huh. Still don't know if I'd fit in all that well, but I sorta get it... I think."
Gareth smiles a little wryly. "I know what a lot of the stories say about pirates. We're supposed to be bloodthirsty, unkempt, rowdy and always drunk." He shrugs, "Rowdy and always drunk tends to be spot on, least for everyone except the captain and quartermaster, but battlin' on the high seas is usually more because we have to, rather than want to. And just because we had to, doesn't mean we treated our opponents like crap. Far from it, even."
Fiora shrugs, "I've had my fair share of rowdy and drunk nights in bars too." She chuckles, "And I guess maybe the high seas and I don't agree with one another. That's probably the biggest barrier between myself and a life of loot and pillage, obviously."
Gareth shrugs. "It's not all lootin' and pillagin', lass. Sometimes, if we happened across some materials we didn't need, we'd deliver 'em or sell 'em to ports that needed the stuff. Freelance merchants, almost." He grins, "And sometimes... when we just wanted a break, we'd drop anchor on a deserted island for a bit and just relax without worryin' about guards or anyone tryin' to pull anythin' on us."
Fiora grins, looking out over the ocean. "Guess that part would be pretty nice. Heh."
Gareth nods. "Kind o' why I decided to come here for a bit. Almost feels like one o' those days again, like I said." He chuckles, "Hell... if we stay here for long enough, I might even try and build a little somethin' for meself here on the shore."
Fiora snorts, waving at the debris scattered around, "Plenty of materials at least!" she snickers, then grins at Gareth. "I could probably help though, if you ever did such a thing."
Gareth hums and grins in turn. "If I do, ye'll be the first I tell, lass. Could use some muscle to help get things into place, I'm sure."
Fiora grins, "And to punch any coyotes off your property."
Gareth laughs. "Ye know, I think I'm interested in hearin' what that's all about. What made ye decide to go and punch a coyote?"
Fiora shrugs. "I didn't come looking for it, despite what you're thinking! I was just out jogging and..." She proceeds to tell the story of coming across Froge and sprinting out this way to find the shipwrecked lizard, making sure to emphasize her heroics in the matter of course.
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OLDHAMMER SMITHY - AFTERNOON
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Cavro is approaching the open smithy, carrying a box of food in front of him with a wide smile and a hum. The badger's still wearing his apron, and has soot streaked on the side of his face. He pauses outside the customer door, blinking at the hanging sign that's come free of one of the hooks.
Fiora walks towards the Smithy a bit thoughtfully. She's in her usual casualware clothes, always a bit revealing but good for the weather and idly tossing a long hunk of bread in her hand as if it were a juggling pin or a throwing axe, taking a bite now and then. She stops just off the front step, looking up at the sign hanging loosely above it.
Cavro looks away from the sign as someone approaches, noticing that she's also looking toward it. He takes in her appearance, thinking for a moment before something clicks, though he doesn't ask directly, just in case. "Good after after afternoon, miss. Apologies about my sign, I'll get a a a ladder out and fix it shortly."
Fiora shrugs, "Doesn't bother me much. You've not been around much though." She chuckles, "I almost broke in and started running the forge myself, but figured that'd be a good way to get in trouble. I mean... Not even like, 'fun' trouble, you know?"
Cavro frowns slightly, looking toward the big doors that still show damage on the wood from a theft months back. "Well, I I I had an assistant doing small tasks... But i was personally pre pre pre-occupied with someone important." He looks back up to her face. "Were you looking for me?"
Fiora chuckles, "I am, in like, every way." She creases her forehead a moment, "Eh, that sounds weird. What I mean is yeah, I was looking for two things, a good forge, and someone named 'Cavro'. I assume you're both! Well, you're not a forge, but you work at a forge, and you're Cavro, so if I wanted to use the forge I'd probably need to talk to you... Err, or the guy that owns the forge, since I know you're more taking it over and not... look, no, that's not the important part. Yes. I am."
Cavro can't help but laugh as Fiora's rambling continues, shaking his head to stifle the laughter before he replies. "I had a feeling, not I I I know. You are definitely related to to to Erika, right? Yes, I am Cavro, please come inside." He chuckles some more as he steps through the door, setting his lunch on an otherwise empty table, then flicking the lights on in the tidy workshop. He glances around, but shrugs as Nora must have gone off for the day.
Fiora crams the last of the bread in her mouth and follows Cavro in, chewing quickly and swallowing as she looks around. "Yeah, didn't want to bother anyone else here, since I was sorta looking for you." She crosses her arms and smirks, "Is it that obvious? The relation thing? I mean... it's complicated, but I dunno. She's all stripey and I'm all spotty. Big difference."
Cavro smiles as he turns back to Fiora, forgetting his food for the time being. "I I I thought so, but didn't want to to to assume. It's really nice to to to finally meet you. Strange coincidence that we we we never seemed to visit with Erika at the same time."
Fiora sighs, "Can't say why that is, but probably fine. At least it seemed like one of us was always with Erika during... all of this mess. You scared her a bunch right at the start though." She frowns, "Really don't know how I feel about that... but I guess I tried to run away from this all too, so I don't think I've got a right to judge."
Cavro looks away, blushing with shame. "I I I did, yes... The woman I love was suddenly a a a four-legged version of herself... It seemed like like like I stepped into a nightmare that day. But I couldn't leave her alone like that." He sighs, scratching his forearm nervously.
Fiora sighs, looking down. "I was so afraid of what Erika might think of me when she learned who and what I was, she's basically the only family I have left, and I don't know how to deal with that. I'd never even met her and she was in the middle of this chaos on day one, and the longer it took, the more afraid I got." She snorts, "We both screwed up. I think Erika would box our ears and say the important thing is we both stayed with her though."
Cavro chuckles, finding his smile. "More like smother us with hugs and and and say the same." He looks up at Fiora. "Thank you for for for being there for her, Fiora. I know she appreciates it, and and and so do I."
Fiora shrugs, "I sorta... couldn't let her down, same as you I guess. I had a buncha thoughts of doing like, unspeakable violence to you. But she loves you way too much, and I hope you realize that." She giggles, "I think you do, which is good. And uh, I should probably level-set with you, cause I didn't at first, and now Erika knows, so it'll just be a matter of time before you hear too, cause I'm actually her sister."
Cavro blinks at the admission of violent thoughts, chuckling nervously with her. He doesn't have time to blush thinking of Erika's love though as the last revelation is given. "Sister? I I I would have never... How?"
Fiora shrugs as if it's not a big deal now, despite her earlier misgivings admitting this to Erika, "We got the same Dad, err, Smitty. But he and my Mom broke up before I was born. She stayed in Vamas, and had me. He came to Respite, remarried, had Erika..." She waves a hand, "Half-sisters. Erika says sisters. I dunno. I don't even know what sisters are supposed to do."
Cavro smiles, shaking his head. "I I I don't think he ever told me about his life in Vamas... Never though to to to ask. But you support and love eachother, I I I guess. You two have been writing eachother for a a a while now, right?"
Fiora nods, "Since we were little, yeah." She chuckles, "I know all about you, Cavro, cause she's wrote about you for years. Hearing you're a couple took me by surprise, cause I guess you two just hooked up? But it made sense."
Cavro blushes brightly, the old habit of scratching his snout coming back for a moment before he stops himself. "Y-yes... We um... Felt more for for for eachother than just friendship. I I I think it took both of us a a a long time to realize it."
Fiora nods, leaning against the wall of the shop. "I dunno. Seems cute and all." She crinkles her nose, then shakes her head, "Heh. I do hope you don't mind having a weird sister-in-law all of a sudden either. Err... sister-potentially-in-law? I don't know the term. Cause I really don't think you two are married yet, right? That'd definitely be a bit too fast, even for me. Heh."
Cavro blushes brightly at the suggestion of marriage. "Ah I I I don't ah know if if if Erika I I I what... No, n-n-n-ot yet..."
Fiora giggles, "Right. Good plan." She ponders. "I wonder how mad Erika would get if I keep teasing?"
Cavro huffs, looking away as he calms down. "You certainly live up to to to the cruel reputation of a a a bounty hunter."
Fiora laughs, raising a hand up, "Okay, okay, sorry! I'll let you off easy this time." She pauses, looking towards the forge. "You know, Mom met Smitty because they were both smiths. She started a forge in Westport. Taught me everything she knew. I could lend a hand here, if you wanted. You already got an assistant or whatever, so I don't wanna crowd. I'm just... wow, I'm bored around town. Like, ninety percent bored and ten percent... uh, just whatever else."
Cavro tilts his head, looking toward the forge with it's fire idling low. "Well I wouldn't object, and and and could pay you... In fact there is a a a large project that having both of you here for would be excellent." He grins, turning to her. "I I I know this place can't be as fancy as the ones in Vamas, though."
Fiora shrugs, "That's probably fine. And I'm not looking for money, but I'm not gonna turn it down. But it's something to do, you know? In-between hunting jobs. I uh... might be sticking around town longer then I planned." She looks away from Cavro, growing a little distant, "Maybe a lot longer. Who knows? I don't... but Erika seems worth sticking around for."
Cavro nods, smiling. "I'm sure Erika would be be be glad to have you around, and I'd be more than happy to to to help you not be bored." He scratches the back of his neck, chuckling. "And if there's anything you can teach me to be better as a smith or for Erika, I I I would be very grateful."
Fiora shrugs, "Smithing... maybe? We can probably learn from each other? As for Erika, I dunno. You probably know her better then I do. But what say we have a little conspiracy together, eh?"
Cavro blinks, tilting his head. "A conspiracy? This is is isn't going to be something bad, is it?"
Fiora pffts, shaking her head, "Nah... I mean...? Nah! I just mean like, if either of us see something that we can do to help Erika, we share it with each other. It's more for her then for either of us I guess."
Cavro nods, smiling. "I can go along with that idea, sure."
Fiora grins, giving Cavro a thumbs up. "Then a conspiracy it is! Welcome aboard, Cavro!"
Cavro chuckles, shaking his head. "You are an interesting one, that's for sure." He turns to his box of food, opening to reveal a fresh sandwich and a few sweets. "I I I can show you around the forge after lunch, or you can have a look around yourself if if if you like."
Fiora: "Being interesting is my middle name! I'll let you eat and take a peek for myself, and you can give me the grand tour once you're done. I promise I won't touch anything. Probably. Definitely nothing I'm not supposed to touch."
Cavro nods with a grin, sitting so he can watch Fiora look around, though more to answer any questions she might have rather than to keep an eye on her.
Fiora rights herself from her lean and walks towards the forge, leaving Cavro to his food for the moment as she examines the set-up, feeling pretty good about this talk and her potential-future-brother-in-law-or-whatever he'll be once he marries Erika. She lets out a giggle to herself.